The use of amino acids for hair development has various benefits. Amino acids are crucial ingredients for healthy hair growth.
Nine amino acids—out of a total of 22—cannot be synthesised by our body. Hair loss can result from a deficiency in a number of these essential and non-essential amino acids.
Thankfully, you can get them from a variety of foods. Learn more about the nine amino acids that support the growth of hair, their dietary sources, and their benefits by reading on. Navigate down.
What Are Amino Acids?
Proteins are formed from chemical molecules called amino acids.
Your digestive system converts protein you consume from food or supplements into amino acids, which are then used to build and repair tissue.
Proteins are made up of a total of 22 distinct amino acids. Three categories have been used to categorise these amino acids:
- Essential Amino Acids: There are nine necessary amino acids that your body is unable to create on its own. These amino acids must be taken orally or as dietary supplements. Histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine are among the nine essential amino acids.
- Non-Essential Amino Acids: These amino acids, also known as dispensable amino acids, can be made by your body. Your body can create these amino acids using the essential amino acids if you don’t get them from your food.
- Conditional Amino Acids: Even while these amino acids are typically not necessary, they occasionally do. These amino acids might be necessary during times of growth or if you’re experiencing physical or mental illness.
You don’t need to consume exact amounts of each amino acid with every meal, despite what the supplement industry may lead you to believe.
For your general health and welfare, it’s crucial to eat a balanced diet that contains all of the necessary amino acids.
Why Are Amino Acids Good For The Hair?
Amino acids are beneficial for preserving the health, tensile strength, density, and gloss of hair. Different kinds of proteins are created by the combining of essential and non-essential amino acids.
Keratin, the main constituent of hair fibre, is one of these proteins. This keratin protein is made up of eighteen amino acids, both essential and non-essential.
Benefits of Amino Acids
What do amino acids do? The “building blocks of life” are proteins, which are made of amino acids, if you paid attention in biology class in elementary school.
Now that we are all grownups, let’s get right to the point: Amino acids are crucial for a number of physical functions, including the development of muscle, the upkeep of bodily tissues, and the synthesis of specific hormones.
In some circumstances, such as when you exercise, your body can also use amino acids as a source of energy.
Certain amino acids have additional advantages besides restoring muscle tissue and giving your body a source of energy:
- Neurotransmitter Production: Phenylalanine, an important amino acid, is a crucial precursor for the neurotransmitters tyrosine, dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine, which assist control mood, cognition, and behaviour.
- Growth Hormone Production: Leucine, an amino acid, aids in controlling the synthesis of growth hormones.
- Skin and Connective Tissue Repair: Another amino acid, threonine, is essential for the development of your skin and connective tissue.
- Histamine Production: Histamine, a different neurotransmitter that your body utilises to regulate your sleep-wake cycle, aid in digestion, and support optimal sexual function, is only made possible by the amino acid histidine.
9 Amino Acids For Hair Regrowth
1. Methionine
Another crucial amino acid for hair growth is methionine. This amino acid is a potent antioxidant and a storehouse of sulphur, a crucial component in the treatment of hair diseases.
Hair will grow as a result of the increased blood flow to the scalp and hair follicles. According to anecdotal evidence, methionine also contributes to the synthesis of collagen, which is in charge of fortifying the hair shaft.
Food Sources Of Methionine: Fish, eggs, Brazil nuts, cereal grains, and sesame seeds are food sources of methionine.
2. Tyrosine
In human bodies, L-tyrosine functions as a natural affiliate. It interacts with our thyroid and helps the pituitary, thyroid, and adrenal glands control important hormones.
It causes the production of melanin, which gives us the colour of our hair. It is also one of the several amino acids that helps people develop healthy hair again.
Stress-related hair loss is caused by a hormone deficiency. Telogen effluvium, alopecia areata, and trichotillomania are a few conditions that can cause hair loss as a result of stress.
Increasing your consumption of L-tyrosine-rich foods, such as beef, pig, fish, poultry, tofu, milk, cheese, beans, seeds, nuts, and whole grains, is a natural strategy to improve your body’s production of this amino acid.
3. Cysteine
The most important amino acid for hair growth is cysteine. It promotes the growth of new hair. Strong antioxidant cysteine protects hair from UV rays and other damaging radiations.
There is anecdotal evidence to support the claim that it can treat alopecia’s symptoms. Additionally supplying sulphur to hair cells, cysteine also improves texture and strength.
Food Sources Of Cysteine: Broccoli, chicken, wheat germ, Brussels sprouts, milk, and yoghurt are among the foods that contain cysteine.
4. Arginine
Another amino acid that our body makes to encourage the growth of new hair in our hair follicles is L-Arginine.
Both our blood’s nitric acid and potassium levels are improved by arginine. Ultimately, this promotes blood flow and hair development.
Increasing your consumption of arginine-containing foods, such as turkey, soybeans, chicken, pork, peanuts, and pumpkin seeds, is a natural approach to enhance your intake of this amino acid.
Besides meat, dairy products and chickpeas are also great sources of arginine.
5. Cysteine
Another hormone generated by the body that contains sulphur is cysteine.
This amino acid strengthens your hair so that it can resist regular manipulation and styling while also promoting healthy hair development.
Because it transports two key minerals—iron and zinc—that are crucial for hair regrowth, cysteine aids in the reversal of hair loss.
Increasing your intake of foods including meat, dairy, eggs, nuts, seeds, and legumes—which contain L-cysteine—is a natural method to raise this amino acid.
6. Lysine
By absorbing calcium, lysine helps collagen to develop. This collagen is crucial for establishing the fundamental framework of hair follicles, fortifying hair, and promoting hair development.
Additionally, it’s believed that lysine prevents the enzyme 5-alpha reductase from turning the hormone testosterone into the major factor in androgenetic alopecia, DHT (male pattern baldness)
Food Sources Of Lysine: Chicken, eggs, fish, red meat, legumes, nuts, pulses, pork, and dairy products are food sources of lysine.
7. Proline
Because our body only makes a small amount of proline, we must obtain it from outside sources.
Collagen, a crucial component of the protein structure that gives our hair strands their shape, is formed with the help of proline.
Increasing your consumption of proline-containing foods, such as nuts, legumes, dairy products, and pork, is a natural method to improve your intake of this amino acid.
8. Glycine
This amino acid is essential for the synthesis of collagen, which is required for hair development.
The central neurological and digestive systems both depend on glycine for proper operation. As a result, it can shield the body from nerve conditions that result in hair loss.
Food Sources Of Glycine: Meat, fish, dairy products, and legumes are all food sources of glycine.
9. Glutamine
The contribution of glutamine to hair development is very incidental. Keratin, which makes up the majority of the hair, has a lot of cysteine.
Sulfur is necessary for the production of cysteine and is transported to the scalp via glutamine.
Food Sources Of Glutamine: Beef, pork, chicken, cheese, yoghurt, eggs, beans, legumes, nuts, cabbage, and spinach are all good sources of glutamine.
What Is Liquid Amino Acid and How To Use For The Hair?
Most often, liquid amino acids are employed as spices in cuisine. They are made by putting soybeans in an acidic solution or fermenting coconut sap.
Can you use it on your hair though? You can, indeed. However, no studies have been done to support the effectiveness of liquid amino acids for topically encouraging hair growth.
Here’s how to grow hair with liquid amino acids.
All you need is 2 tablespoons of liquid amino acid and 3 tablespoons of leave-in conditioner.
How To Use:
- In a bowl, combine the liquid amino acid and leave-in conditioner.
- Gently apply this mixture on your scalp.
- The rest should be applied to your hair strands.
- Wait for thirty minutes while donning a shower hat.
- Make sure to shampoo your hair.
- Do this no more than twice a week and no more often than once.
Conclusion
Important nutrients called amino acids are crucial for the growth of hair. Consuming amino acids for hair development will strengthen your hair, increase collagen production, and protect your locks from sun damage.
To soften and smooth your hair, apply liquid amino acids and a leave-in conditioner. Aside from this, you can either consume amino acids naturally through diet or supplement them.
Over supplementation should be avoided as it could harm your hair. Before taking any supplements, seek medical advice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Amino Acid Supplements Help?
If you exercise and consume protein beverages, it’s likely that you use amino acid supplements. Collagen and L-glutamine in protein drinks can help your hair grow healthy.
There is, however, no evidence to support the claim that protein supplements can promote hair growth.
Can a Lack of Amino Acids Cause Hair Loss?
Yes, hair loss can result from an amino acid shortage.
Is Daily Use of Amino Acids Safe?
Yes, as long as they are not consumed in large quantities, it is okay to take amino acids every day.
Sources:
- https://www.researchgate.net/publication/316012307_Diet_and_hair_loss_effects_of_nutrient_deficiency_and_supplement_use
- https://journals.physiology.org/doi/pdf/10.1152/physrev.1938.18.1.109
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0022202X93905018
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022202X15402842
- https://www.researchgate.net/publication/279298224_Holistic_Approaches_to_Maintain_Healthy_Hairs_of_Human_Being
- https://www.stylecraze.com/articles/amino-acids-for-hair-growth/
- https://ninaross.co/blogs/health-wellness-posts/7-amazing-amino-acids-for-hair-regrowth-you-should-know
- https://www.forhims.com/blog/amino-acids-for-hair-growth